Rotary buffing disc with removable cloth holder



A ril 3, 1962 L. I. FREEDMAN ET AL ROTARY BUFFING DISC WITH REMOVABLE CLOTH HOLDER Filed May 14, 1958 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTORS Lcaumrzcelfi"eedman/ arzeZJohn WT one ATTORNEYS Apnl 3, 1962 l. FREEDMAN ETAL 7,

ROTARY BUFFING DISC WITH REMOVABLE CLOTH HOLDER Filed May 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Lawren 66 I Freedman 811d Johmvv. Tone BY WZK g ATTORNEYS United States Patent O fiice 3,027,585 Patented Apr. .3, 1962 3,027,585 ROTARY BUFFING DESC WITH REMOVABLE CLOTH HOLDER Lawrence I. Freedman, Fairfax, Wilmington, Del., and

John W. Tone, Zebleys Corner, Pa.,=assignors to Ronson Corporation of Delaware, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 14, 1958, Ser. No. 735,155 9 Claims. (Cl. 15-230) An object 'of'this invention is to provide a novel, highly efiicientbuffing attachment fora portable electric polishing machine which includes a disc-shaped backing plate having a stem centrally mounted on one surface and a disc-shaped pad of soft'resilient material, such as sponge rubber, mounted on the other surface. A circumferential recess or groove in the backing plate permits a polishing cloth to be conveniently detachably coupled over the pad to the backing plate by snapping a resilient ring over the polishing cloth into it. A frictional means, for example, a roughened surface within this recess, prevents the ring and cloth from turning relative to the backing plate, and the soft resilient pad permits the polishing cloth to intimately conform to the contours of the surface being polished, such as the seams and perforations in shoes. The ease ofattachment and detachment of the polishing cloth makes it extremely simple and economical to provide and utilize a separate bufling cloth for each type or color of polish applied.

Novel features and advantages 'of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of 'a nonelected embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken'through FIG. 2 along the'line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of an aligned portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken'through FIG. 3 along the line 55 and'looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. '6 is a cross-sectionaiviewtaken through FIG. 3 along the line 6-6 and looking in the directio'n'of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a novel attachment for use with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken through the attachment shown in FIG. 7.

In 'FIG. 1 is shown a portable electric shoe polishing machine -10 to which is rotatably connected a cylindrical attachment 12, for example, a brush for applying polish, The outer surface of elongated casing 14 is'constructed and arranged to facilitate convenient grasping and manipulation by a human hand which is placed, for example, about an intermediate portion of the upper surface of casing 14. An aperturedflat resilient bar -16, for example made as a flat'spring, having a knob 18, for example, made of plastic attached to its free end, is mounted by one end, for example, by cap screws 20 to casing 14 to permit downward deflection of knob 18 to easily disengage attachment 12 from a power transmission disposed within casing 14 as is later described in detail.

Machine 10 includes a novel and highly eflicient means for simply and economically providing a positive flow of cooling air through electric motor 22 as is shown in FIGS. 2-4. Casing 14, for example, includes an upper half 24 and a lower half 26. Air inlet apertures 28 are, for example, provided in the rear end of upper casing half 24 as shown in FIG. 2. Air outlet apertures 30 are, for example, provided in a lower surface of lower casing half 26 as shown in aligned portions of FIGS. 3 and 4. Motor 22 is mounted between inlet apertures 28 and outlet apertures 30. Since outlet apertures 30 are provided only in the lower half of the casing, they are not obstructed when the casing is held about an intermediate section of its upper portion.

A relatively greatflow of cooling air is directed through inlet apertures 28, outlet apertures 30, and through motor 22 by a novel centrifugal 'fan arrangement '32 provided by a centrifugal impeller 34 mounted within 'an openendedscroll housing 36 which includes a restricted outlet section 38 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. Outlet section 38 is mounted substantially in line with outlet apertures 30 to discharge the heated motor cooling air through them. Open-ended scroll housing 36 is mounted within the easing, forexample, upon the end of power transmission 40; and since the remote or open end 42 of scroll housing 36 is completely free of contact with impeller 34 or electric motor shaft 44 upon which impeller 34 is mounted, any tolerances which must be observed in manufacture and assembly are extremely rough and inexpensive to accommodate.

The open end of scroll housing 36 is effectively sealed by a centrally-apertured or annular disc 46 attached to radial blades 43 of impeller 34-as shown in FIG. 6. Annular disc 46 prevents backfiow and leakage of air through the open end of scroll housing 36 while allowing air to flow through the motor into the eye of impeller 34 from which it is discharged by rotating blades 48 through restricted discharge passageway 38. Even though the cooling passageways which extend through casing 14 are relatively small in comparison with those'in similar devices, motor 22 which is of relatively high power for such devices, for example 4 horsepower, is effectively cooled by virtue of'the relatively-efficient performance of novel fan or air pump'32. This efficient air flow is particularly critical where the casing is directly held in the hand which greatly restricts the area available forair passageways.

Motor shaft 44 extends through fan 32 and scroll housing 36 into driving engagement with power transmission 50, for example a helical spurgear transmission which, for example, provides a stepdown ratio of 20:1 from motor shaft 44 to driving quill 62. Motor shaft 44 is engaged with the first-stage gear 54 of transmission 50 by means of a worm gear 56'which is, 'for example, cut upon the end of shaft 44. First stage or idler gear 54 is, for example, a helical spur gear whose lower surface is engaged with output or drive gear 58, also of helical spur form. Idler gear 54 and drive gear 58 are, for example, efiiciently made of a nylon composition to provide durability and quietness in operation. These gears are enclosed within a gear casing 60 which contains a sealed lubricant of the permanent variety.

A drive shaft 62, for example,constructed as a tubular drive quill is secured to the centerof drive gear 58 and rotates within bearings 64 and 66 mounted within gear casing 60. Bearings 64 and 66 are, for :example selflubricating, such as oilite bearings.

The lower or driving end-of tubular drive quill62 is traversed by longitudinal slots 68 which receive and drive a lug 70 mounted upon stem 72 of brush attachment 12. A number of slots 68, for example, four in all, are provided about the periphery of quill 62 to permit insertion of driving lug 70 at a variety of angular orientations.

A circumferential recess 74 is provided about the slotted end of quill 62 for receiving a resilient ring 76, for example, a split ring 76 of spring material which lies below lug 70 when it is fully inserted within slot 68 to maintain stem 72 detachably inserted within the drive quill until enough downward pressure is exerted upon resilient bar or spring 16 to force lug 70 past retaining spring 76.

Stem 72 is permanently fastened to the cylindrical hub 78 of brush 12, for example, by molding stem 72 within hub 78 which is, for example, made of a moldable plastic, such as a polystyrene composition. Bristles 80 are also, for example, permanently molded within the hub 78. The end 82 of stem 72 inserted within hub 78 is roughened, for example, by knurling to securely anchor it within hub 78; and a disc-shaped projection 84 is provided upon the portion of stem 72 extending through the surface of hub 78 to govern the depth of penetration of stem 72 within hub 78 and to provide a predetermined dimension between the lower end of lug 70 and the upper end of hub 78 for accommodating resilient ejector bar 16. When bar 16 is deflected downward, it, therefore, comes immediately into contact with projection 84 to expeditiously disengage brush 12 from drive quill 62.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown a novel structure for a buffer 86 having a stem 72a which is detachably coupled within drive quill 62. in a manner similar to that shown with respect to stem 72 of brush 12. Buffer 86 has the advantage of permitting convenient attachment and removal of polishing cloths or fabric 88. This permits a different cloth 88 to be used for each different type or color of polish and also facilitates their cleaning, for example, by washing. Cloth 88 is attached to buffer 86, for example, by a resilient ring 90, such as a split circular ring of spring material which is snapped over cloth 88 into a circumferential groove 92 which is disposed about the outer edge of disc-shaped backing plate 94. Recess 92 is, for example, provided within a flange 96 extending rearwardly from disc or plate 94. Flange 96 includes a relatively lower peripheral projection 98 which is disposed in front of recess 92 and a relatively higher peripheral projection 100 which is disposed to the rear of recess 92. Ring 90 is accordingly easily snapped over smaller projection 98 into recess 92.

As shown in FIG. 8, stem 72 is securely engaged within hub 102 of attachment 86, for example, by being molded within hub 102 which, together with disc 94, is, for example, made of a shock-resistant plastic such as polystyrene.

A substantially cylindrical pad 104 of soft resilient material, for example, sponge rubber is attached to the front face of disc 94 to provide a soft equalizing substance in back of polishing cloth 88 which allows polishing cloth 88 to intimately conform to the contours of an article being polished, for example, the irregular portions of a shoe constituted by seams or perforations. Pad 104 is secured to the surface of a plate 94, for example, by gluing and is, for example, restrained from longitudinal movement from plate 94 by inserting it within a shallow cylindrical recess 105 in the front surface of plate 94 which is substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of pad 104.

A friction-providing means, for example, roughened surface 106 is disposed within recess 92 for preventing ring 90 and cloth 88 from turning relative to plate 94 and pad 104 when buffer 86 is rotated and applied, for example to a shoe being polished.

What is claimed is:

1. A buffing attachment for use in a polishing machine and adapted for detachably holding a polishing cloth comprising a substantially rigid disc-shaped backing plate having a peripheral edge, a driving stem secured to a central portion of said plate and extending substantially perpendicularly to said plate, a pad of soft resilient material attached across the surface of said plate opposite from said stem, a peripheral groove in said edge, a peripheral ridge upon said edge between said groove and said pad, a separate circular expandable elastic ring having a relaxed inside diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the widest portion of said peripheral ridge for holding said polishing cloth tautly over said pad and looking it into said peripheral groove, and said ring being stiff enough to independently maintain a substantially circular shape for facilitating the spreading of said ring over said ridge with said cloth under it and the taut stretching of said cloth over said pad as it is locked under said ring into said groove.

2. A bufiing attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peripheral ridge increases in diameter in a direction from said pad to said recess to facilitate the spreading of said ring over said ridge.

3. A bufiing attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein said peripheral ridge :fiares outwardly from the smallest diameter portion of said plate to which said pad is attached to a widest portion between said pad and said groove, and the junction between said peripheral ridge and said groove being rounded.

4. A buffing attachment is set forth in claim 3 wherein the outside diameter of said pad is less than said smallest diameter portion of said plate.

5. A buffing attachment as set forth in claim 1 Wherein the rear edge of said plate on the side of said groove remote from said pad is greater in diameter than said peripheral ridge for facilitating the engagement of said ring within said groove over said cloth.

6. A bufiing attachment as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rear surface of said plate is annularly recessed to dispose said rear edge upon an extending flange with access available within it.

7. A-buffing attachment as set forth in claim 1 wher in a cylindrical indentation substantially equal to the diameter of said pad is provided in the face of said plate for preventing said pad from being axially displaced therefrom.

8. A buffing attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein frictional means are incorporated within said peripheral groove for preventing rotation of said ring and polishing cloth relative to said backing plate.

9. A buffing attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said expandable elastic ring is comprised of a split circular ring of spring material.

References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES 570,890 Germany Feb. 22, 

